Volubilis
is a North African, Roman ruin located in Morocco, just a short distance (about
36 miles, or 58 km) outside of the historic city of Fez, and not far from
the city of Meknes (about 18 miles, or 29 km), and only a couple of miles
(3 km) from Moulay Idriss Zerhoun an important Islamic site in Maroc[1].

Figure
1 – Map: Casablanca, Rabat, Salé, Fez, and Volubilis.

While
it is not impressive in size as are Pompeii or Herculanium[2], it makes for a
wonderful place to visit while traveling in Morocco, as it is one of the largest
ancient ruins in Africa. The countryside is spectacularly beautiful and it can
be seen from all sides of the ruined site. The city sits at an altitude of 1300
feet (400 meters) on a triangular-shaped, rich plain bordered on both sides by
two small rivers (Oued[3]
Fertassa and Oued Khomane). Arabs call Volubilis: "Oualili",
"Oualila", and "Ksar Pharoun" (Pharaoh's
Palace); names that have been attested to by Latin epigraphs, Arab written
sources, and even excavated coins from the Idrissid period and before.

Volubilis
grew and prospered from the third century B.C., to B.C. 40, under the successive
rule of independent Mooorish kings (Bocchus the Elder, Bogud I, Bogud
II. From this period several monuments have been uncovered and identified;
namely, temples in the Mauretanean-punic tradition and a mysterious
tumulus. After the assassination of King Ptolemy in B.C. 40 by Caligula
and the crushing of a revolt by Ademon in ancient Mauretania, Emperor Claudius
annexed the region, dividing it into two parts: one to the West with Tingi
(Tangier) as its capital, the other to the East with Caesara (in Algeria)
as capital. Volubilis was then elevated to the rank of a municipality.

Figure 3 – Columns, fallen walls, and nearby plains.

Figure
4 – (left) Mosaics and
the ruined city.
From B.C. 40 to A.D. 285, Volubilis expanded
spectacularly. During the first century came the major urban structures, such as
the spacious roads (Decumani and Cardines), and the public
monuments (temples, thermal baths). The next century saw further developments in
the urban tissue; most importantly, the wall surrounding the city was founded by
Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 168-169), together with the eight major gates
linking the city to the outside world. The monument-filled center (the Forum,
the Basilica, the Capitol, the Triumphal Arch) came about during the Severius
dynasty, between A.D. 193 and 235. Also dating back to this period are the
stately homes with perislyles and pools, the great mosaics (“Orpheus
Mosaics”, the “Works of Hercules”, “Diana's Bath”, “Neriedes” are
some of the well-preserved, much visited in-situ mosaics), numerous bakeries,
and about one hundred oil presses attesting to the thriving economy of this
roman outpost.

Toward
the end of the third century A.D., an era of decline nearly officially began
with the order of Emperor Diocletes to the Roman administration and the
army to vacate Volubilis and the southern region in favor of the northern
coastal posts of Mogador, Sale, and Loukos. From then on,
what remained of the population shifted to the west of Caracala's Arch,
proceeded to raise a protective wall toward the sixth century and even continued
to erect public structures. Some Latin inscriptions (found in the city's
necropolis) from the period A.D. 599-655 indicate some “Christian-ization”
of the population.

Arab
sources, and in particular, some found pre-Idrisside coins, point to an
Islamic presence in Volubilis at the beginning of the eight century. However, a
centralized Islamic authority in Volubilis had to wait for the arrival of Idriss
I, founder with his son of the first Arabo-Islamic dynasty in Morocco.
Idriss had fled from Baghdad of the Abbasids and settled in Zedrhoun,
after the Ouraba Berber tribes (led by Ishak) welcomed and made
him their Islamic leader. For a brief time, Volubilis (or “Oualili” served
as capital of the new Islamic kingdom.

After
the assassination of Idriss, his son, Idriss II, abandoned the
city in favor of Fez, which he founded and made the first Arabo-Musli,
capital of the first ruling dynasty of Morocco. Meantime, Volubilis continued as
an urban center, receiving in the year A.D. 818 settlers from Andulusia (the Rabedis).
According to early Arab historian, Al Bakri, Volubilis was still a
sizable agglomeration as late as A.D. 1086. Thereafter, most probably due the
successive raids of the Almoravids (the next ruling dynasty) the city's
resistance came to an end. After this date, Arab historians referred to
Volubilis only as an abandoned city in ruin.

After 1915, date at which European
archeological digs began at Volubilis at the initiative of the French
Protectorate, the World came to discover the long history, the unique
architecture, and the rich and variegated artistic legacy of a city that
harbored successive and successful communities for centuries.

Figure 7 – The Forum (the visitors add dimension).

No
Roman town of any particular size could be without the important military and
seremonical structure of a triumphal arch. In Volubilis it is placed at the end
of the main street Decumanus Maximus. And after the triumphal arch there
is nothing to be found of ancient ruins, only fields and grass. Its size is not
the most impressive, but it is in good shape, and is striking as one steps out
into the fields to look back upon it.

Figure 8 – Dawn on the “Decumanus Maximus”, built A.D. 217.

Figure 9 - The “Arch of Caracalla” (see also fig. 8), entrance to the main
street.

Volubilis
was a Roman settlement constructed on what was probably a Carthaginian city,
dating from 3rd century B.C. Volubilis was a central administrative city for
this part of Roman Africa, responsible for the grain producing in this fertile
region, and exports to Rome. Volubilis was also administering contacts with the
Berber tribes which the Romans never managed to suppress, but who only came as
far as to cooperate with the Romans for mutual benefits. Unlike so many other
Roman cities, Volubilis was not abandoned after the Romans lost their foothold
in this part of Africa in the 3rd century. Even the Latin language survived for
centuries, and was not replaced before the Arabs conquered North Africa in the
late 7th century.

People
continued to live in Volubilis for more than 1,000 years more. Volubilis was
first abandoned in the 18th century -- when it was demolished in order to
provide for building materials for the construction of the palaces of Moulay
Ismail in nearby Meknes. If that demolishing had not arrived,
Volubilis could have become one of the best preserved Roman sites anywhere. The
main area of Volubilis (the only area that really attracts visitors), is no more
than 2500 x 1900 feet (800 x 600 meters) measured between the walls. Much of the
best of the excavations have been moved to the Archaeological Museum (close to
the royal palace in Rabat), but Volubilis offers ruins of quite good quality,
and about 30 high quality mosaics that still lay in their original emplacements.

Figure 10 – Mosaic “House of Orpheus”

The
Forum of Volubilis is typical to the Roman town. But with a population of about
20,000 it still achieved an impressive size. The columns still standing are more
than high enough to dwarf most people.

The
Basilica of Volubilis is very impressive, and even though there is not much
remaining beyond walls and columns, there will be no difficulty to imagine what
it looked like when it was in its glory. The walls rise up more than 30 feet (10
meters) and are in such good shape, that one can easily feel as if time has been
turned back 2,000 years.

Figure 11 & 12 – Basilica and a pair of nesting storks.

Volubilis
is definitely an ancient Roman city where one should take care to keeping a keen
eye focused on the ground. There are many mosaics there and an impressive
quantity of them are in excellent condition. (All are fenced in so as to save
them from the wear and tear of visitors – for the mosaics are spectacularly
decorated ancient floors.)

Figure
13 – Mosaic of African wild animal motifs.

There
are mainly three houses to visit: the “House of the Euphebus” right next to
the triumphal arch; the “House of Orpheus” to the south near the olive oil
presses (see figure 10); and the “House of Dionysus” near the Decumanus
Maximus.

Figure 14 – Mosaic (clad
& unclad human motifs).

Volubilis
(a Roman excavation site, the largest in Morocco) is a mere 1.5 miles (4 km)
from Moulay Idriss, Morocco's first Islamic city.Artifacts found at Volubilis are now in the Archeology Museum in Rabat.

Special
note:
In 1997, this ruin’s historical legacy won the city (most deservedly) the
classification of a "World Heritage Site."

Figure 15 – Mosaic that once embellished an entire room.

Figure 16 – The Triumphal Arch … as one departs from this dead city.

Historical Notes:

The
original Hellenistic “Province of Africa” was formed after the defeat of
Carthage in 146 B.C. and corresponded roughly to what is northeast Tunisia today
(circa 2003). After the Battle of Thapsus in 46 B.C., Julius Caesar
added a further area, Africa Nova (New Africa) to the original province
by then called Africa Vetus (Old Africa). Under Augustus, further
gains were reorganized into a new province, Africa Proconsularis, which
extended from Numidia in the West to Cyrenaica in the East. The
coastal area of Numidia and Mauretania appears to have been
incorporated into Aftrica Proconsularis soon thereafter, forming a large
senatorial province. Mauretania came under Roman control in 40 B.C. but
was not fully subdued until several years later. In 42 B.C. Mauretania
was split into two imperial provinces: Mauretania Caesariensis and Mauretania
Tingitana. Numidia was established as a separate imperial province
under Severus. In Diocletian's reorganization, Africa was divided
into seven new provinces in the diocese of Africa, while Mauritania
Tingitana became part of the diocese of Hispanae. Under the
Mauretanian King Juba II in the 1st century B.C. and the 1st century ad,
Volubilis became a flourishing center of late Hellenistic culture. Annexed to
Rome about A.D. 44, it was made a municipium (a community that exercised
partial rights of Roman citizenship), and it became the chief inland city of the
Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana.